Many makers are now offering harps intentionally designed for therapy. Although there are harp therapists who can and do use their usual floor harps (and even pedal harps) for this purpose, lap harps are beneficial in that they can be easily transported from room to room and even played while strolling down hospital corridors. Ideally, harps intended for therapeutic work should not only be lightweight to reduce strain on the player, but also strong to withstand frequent use and interactions with patients, and their tone must be mellow and soothing (overly bright or harsh tones sometimes produced by high-tension strings can potentially be agitating to patients*).
Even with therapy and other small harps, one size does not fit all. The choice of available harps was a bit overwhelming for me, so in an effort to help clarify my own options, I created the following chart of some models from reputed sources. All of the information was gleaned from the maker's and/or retailer's websites. The prices listed reflect a full set of levers, but most of the harps are offered at a lesser rate for partial levers (or no levers at all). Some of the prices also include other accessories including a case, lapbar, etc. Note that one of the harps, the Niamh 27, is priced in Canadian rather than US Dollars.
| harp | # of strings | weight (lbs) | price (fully levered) |
|---|
Bass Minstrel
by Marini Made | 26 | 8 | • $1241 (Loveland) | $1331.00 (Universal) | $1396 (Truitt): Marini Made Harps |
Christina Therapy Harp
by Triplett | 25 | 7-9 | • $1695.00 USD (Camac): Triplett Harps
• $1881.00 USD (Truitt): Emerald Harp |
County Kerry
by Jeff Gaynor | 24 | 6.5 | • $1374.00 USD (Truitt + case): Emerald Harp |
EvenSong
by Stoney End | 26 | 9.5 | • $1699 USD (Truitt + case, lapbar, strap, stand, etc.): Emerald Harp
• $1399.00 USD (Truitt + case): Stoney End |
Fullsicle
by Harpsicle | 26 | 4 | • $799.00 USD (Robinson): Harpsicle Harps & Harp Center |
Jessie Ultra-Light
by Lewis Creek | 27 | 6 | • $2199.00 (Truitt + case, strap): Emerald Harp & Lewis Creek |
Marie XP
by Blevins | 23 | 5 | • $2926.00 (Truitt + case, strap, surcingle): Bedside Harp |
Marie FX27 Hybrid
by Blevins | 27 | 6 | • $4438.00 USD (Truitt + case, strap, surcingle): Bedside Harp |
Minstrel
by Marini Made | 26 | 6 | • $1066 USD (Loveland) | $1131.00 USD (Universal) | $1196 USD (Truitt): Marini Made Harps |
Morgan Meadow
by Rees Harps, Inc. | 23 | 8-11 | • $2475.00 USD(Rees + stand): Rees Harps, Inc. |
Niamh 27
by Timothy | 27 | 9-11 | • $2450.00 CND (Camac): Timothy Harps |
Nightingale
by Lewis Creek | 27 | 7.5 | • $2199.00 USD (Truitt + case, strap): Emerald Harp; • $2299.00 (Truitt + case, strap): Lewis Creek |
SweetHarp
by Caswell | 29 | 9 | • $939.00 USD (Loveland): Caswell Harps |
I had the opportunity to try several of these harps at the 2011 Somerset Folk Harp Festival which I really hoped would narrow my choices down, but for the most part, I'm still in a quandary. The vendor hall at the festival was rather loud so for the most part I do not think I got to hear the harps at their best. Price is definitely an issue for me, and not just in regards to the grand total for the harp and accessories, but also the availability of financing. Of the harps listed above,
Caswell Harps offers a great no-interest payment plan and
Triplett has a rent-to-own option which is also quite reasonable.
My favorite of the lap harps that I tried was the Marie Petite. It was a beautifully crafted instrument with a very nice tone and is exactly what I'm looking for aesthetically. However, it is at the top of the price range and, for that price, I think I would like something with more strings. Blevins does offer a Marie with 27 strings (not shown in the chart) but the weight was not listed and it is nearly $3000.
Heartland Harps is making 36 and 38 string harps out of carbon fiber which are remarkably light for their range and are practically indestructible , but they cost at least much as a standard wood harp of the same size. I wish they would consider making a smaller harp (maybe 27-30 strings?) out of the same material so it would be both featherweight
and small (and hopefully less expensive!).
I'm tentatively settled on the maple Fullsicle due to its ease on my shoulders and pocketbook (it's both the lightest and cheapest of my options). Christina Tourin recommended them for the budget-minded harper on her site, but with the caveat that since the lower strings overlap the pillar, it would be difficult to hold the harp by the pillar, allowing it to hover over a patient while he or she plays. However, it was just redesigned so the harmonic curve and fore-pillar are slightly larger which not only improves the tone and volume, but also makes it so the lower strings no longer overlap the pillar. My only reservations are that the Fullsicle (I believe) uses zither pins rather than standard harp pins which in my experience are more of a pain to tune and tend to cause string breakage. I also don't have any experience with Robinson levers. Aesthetically, it is a little clunkier than the other harps. I really enjoyed playing it at the festival though, and as an added bonus, the cost for shipping and accessories for the Fullsicle is also cheaper than for other models.
Update - February 02, 2015: I've tried to correct some broken links and update some of the pricing with more current figures. The ultimate resource for this information is, of course, from the harp-maker's own website, so please verify their information before purchasing. To my knowledge, Caswell Harps are no longer being made as unfortunately harp-maker and accomplished musician
Chris Caswell passed away in January 2013 from cancer.
*"The tension needs to be lighter than most harps. Tight-tensioned strings produce a tone too bright for the comfort of many patients, especially when played at the bedside. Patients on morphine drips are especially sensitive to the bright sounds of a harp with tight tension."
- Christina Tourin Cradle of Sound: Harp Therapy Manual
